Explosion at India firecracker factory kills 11

A deadly explosion at a firecracker factory in northern India claimed at least 11 lives on Monday, including eight children, police reported. The blast in the Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh state collapsed several nearby houses, where most of the victims resided, according to local media. The deceased children were aged between four and 13, the Hindustan Times newspaper stated.

Police officer Satnarayan Prajapat confirmed the fatalities, adding that several others were injured in the explosion. The cause of the blast remains unknown. Industrial accidents are frequent in India due to inadequate safety measures. In March, a fire at a fireworks factory in western India killed 17 people. A month later, eight individuals lost their lives when a firecracker storage facility in southern India caught fire.